Trailer hitch



Ap 1940- H. H. REYNOLDS v ,1 7, 57

TRAILER HITCH Filed July 18, 1939 Sheets-Sheet l A iiorneys April 1940- H. H. REYNOLDS 197,157

-' TRAILER HITCH Filed July 18, 1939 2 Sheets-Shee't 2 Inventor E jie yzzalds Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT- oFFicE T AILER HITCH Henry Howard ReynoldaPontia'c, Mich; Application July 18, 1939, Serial No. 285,143

5 Claims. "(Cl. 280-.33.17)

My invention relates to improvements in trailer-hitches and more particularly to aligning means therefor.

By way of explanation, inpa commonly used 5;; type of trailer hitch, the trailer is provided'with a forwardly extending draft rigging terminating in an inverted socket member for coupling downwardly onto a ball member swingably mounted on. the tow car for lateral positioning relative '0; to the socket member. This type of trailer hitch is verydifficultto couple together because of the der backing of the tow car and which, when illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view inrsideelevation, f; 35 Figure 3 is a View in bottom plan,

broken away, of the aligning bar and locater hook, v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary-view intransverse I to, section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 looki ing in the direction of the arrows,, I

Figure ;6 is a view in top plan of a modification-of the invention, 7

Figure Tis a view in perspective of the align- 45, ing bar of Figure 6, and l Figure8 is aview in transverse section taken on the line 8 -8 of Figure 6 looking in the direce. 1

' tion indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, and first to Figures lto 5 illustrating the preferred embodiment of-the invention, the: numeral, I designates a draft rigging of the type of trailer hitch with which the invention ,is concerned and the numeral 2 the ball member for coupling to The rigging. comprises ;a

55; said draft rigging.

pair of side barsz3 extending forwardly from the underside of the trailer, represented at P4, in

converging relation to a suitably attached plate 5 having upstanding therefro-m 1 an inverted socket member 6'. The ball member 2 is fixed on Figure 4 is a view insideelevation, partly top of a link i, at the rear end thereof, which link is pivoted, as represented'at 8, on the tow car, not shown, to extend rearwardly of said car and-for lateral swinging movement toalign the ball vertically beneath the socket member 6.

According to my invention, the described draft rigging I is equipped with a pair of front and reartransversely extending bars 9, l0, bolted at their ends as at H, to the undersides of the bars 3 in parallel relation and at'suitable points in the rear of the plate 5.

Pivot'ally mounted adjacent one of its ends, as at 12, on the front bar 9, beneath the draft rigging l and in the longitudinal center-of the latter, is analigning bar it adapted to be swung laterally into effective and ineffective. idle, positions respectively. In the effective position thereof said bar l3 extends forwardly beyond the plate 5 a substantial'distan'ceandto one side of the socket member 6 so that under backing of the'tow vehicle, theball-member 2 will engage the inner edge of the bar l3 and be guided thereby-into proper position beneath the socketv member 6, it being understood that the draft rigging I is elevated to the proper level and the tow vehicle is backed in the proper direction. The other end of the bar l3, in the effective position thereof, is located beneath the rear bar and means are provided for locking said other end to said bar toaretain the bar [3 in effective position. The retaining means comprises a pin l4 designed to be inserted through suitable apertures I6, I! in said bars -.l 0 and I3 respectively. Inthe ineffective position of the bar l3 it is substantially reversed, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, so that it extends beneath the chassis [8 of thetrailer 4. Means are provided for'retaining the bar I3 in ineffective position comprising a right angle'd clip [9 vertically slidable in'a suitably fixed bracket and tensioned by. a spring 2| for c'oaction With the underside of the chassis to grip the bar l3 therebetween;

The aligning bar !3 is equipped with a fiat bar-like locater grab hook 2| pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, as at l8, on said" bar for. edgewise swinging movement horizontally to adis vertically aligned with the socket member 6, so.

as to catch. and surround the'ball member 2 and hold the same in vertically aligned position rel-- ative to the socket member 6. A pin 22 is proof the hook 2! has the form of a bolt which may be removed so that the hook 2| may be reversed on the bar l3 and said bar extended on the other side of the socket member 6 with the hook 2! in proper position and as shown in dotted lines in Figure l. The purpose of positioning the bar l3 on said other side of the socket member 6 is to provide for its use when the tow vehicle is backed in a different direction as will be understood. A second pin-receiving aperture 26 is provided in the bar ID for the pin M to retain the bar I3 in this last described position.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the draft rigging la is of. a type from which the socket member is eliminated and a recessed forwardly opening plate 21- is substituted in lieu of the socket member. In con-. nection with'this type of draft rigging, an align ing bar 28, similar to the bar I3, is utilized in the same manner as bar I3. The draft rigging la, in this instance, is provided with front and rear pairs of upper and lower transverse bars 29, 30. The bar 28 is pivoted, as at-3l, to the lower front bar 28. A pin 32, similar to pin M, is used to retain the bar 28in effective position but: is,

extended through the rear pair of bars 30 as shown in Figure 8 and into an aperture 33 in the bar 28. I

Referring now to the use of the preferred embodiment of the invention, prior to backing the tow vehicle, the draft rigging l is elevated to the proper position, the aligning bar I3' is swung into the described effective position, and fixed therein by means of the retaining pin M- in the manner already described. The tow vehicle "is then backed to engage the ball member 2' with the aligning bar l3 and then further backeduntil said ball member is caught by the grab hook 21. The draft rigging I is then lowered to enter the ball member 2 in the socket member 6. The

pin 22 is removed, prior to uncoupling the'hitch,"

to swinging the bar l3 to ineffective position as will be understood.

The use of the bar 28 in the modified form of the invention will be readily understood froml the described use of the bar I3.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to im- 1 part a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification in other respects than as disclosed and right is herein reserved to such.

other modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims. What I claim is:

into vertically aligned coupling relation to said socket member and to swing laterally to facilitate aligning the same, and means to align said ball member under backing of the same comprising an aligning bar pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement into and from forwardly extending relation to said frame and to either'side. of saidsocket member selectively.

2. In a trailer hitch for coupling a tow car to a trailer, a draft rigging for the trailercom-v prising a frame adapted to extend forwardly member.

therefrom and having a-socket member on they front end thereof, a ball member adapted for attachment to the tow car to be backed thereby into vertically aligned coupling relation to said socket member and to swing laterally to facilitate aligning the same, and means to align said ball member under backing of the same comprising an aligning bar pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement intoand from for wardly extending relation to said frame and to either side of said socket member selectively, and

means to couple said bar to said frame at will front end thereof, a ball memberadaptedfor at- .tachment to thetow car to be backed thereby into vertically aligned coupling relation to said socket member and to swing laterally to facilitate aligning the same, and means to align said. ball member under backing of the same com prising an aligning'bar pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement into fand from.

forwardly extending relation to-said frame and to. either side of said socket member selectively,

and means to couple said bar to said frame. at: i

will against movement from such relation, and means to releasably lock said" bar against swi'ng-.

ing into said relation,

4. In a trailer hitch.for coupling a. towcar:

to a trailer, a draft rigging for the trailer com prising a frame 'adapted'toextendforwardlyv therefromand having a. socket member on the front end thereof, a ball member adapted for attachment to the tow carto be backed thereby into vertically aligned coupling relation to said socket member and to swing laterally to facilitate aligning the same, and means to align said ball member under backing of the same comprising an aligning bar pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement into and from forwardly extending relation to said frame and to either sidef of saidsocket'member selectively,

. and means tocouple said bar to saidframeat 4 will against movement from-such relation, and

a locater hook on said bar vertically aligned with said socket memberin said relation of said bar:

and opening forwardly-to receive said-ballmember therein. a i

5. In a. trailer hitch forcoupling. a tow car;

to a trailer, a draft'rigging for the trailer com I prising a frame adapted to extend forwardly therefrom and having a socket member on the front-end thereof, a ball member adapted for attachment to the tow car to be backed thereby into vertically aligned coupling relation to said I socket member and to swing laterally to facilitate aligning the same, and means to align said ball member under backing of" the same'com prising an aligning bar pivotally mounted on said frame for swinging movement into andjfrom. forwardly extendingrelation to said frame and,

to either side of said socket memberselectively, and means to couple said bar to said ,frameat will against movement from such relation; and a locater hook on said bar vertically aligned with saidsocket member in said relation o-f said bar and opening forwardly to receive said balllmem bertherein, said locater hook being swingabl on said 'bar out of alignment with .said socket:

HENRY HOWARD REYNOLDS. 

